Battle Scars
by Nic an Ri
Summary: Just a short aimless drabble. Not sure where it's going the idea just came to me, the dead men would have to be damaged mentally after all they've seen right?


I stood in front of the full length mirror in my room. The rain bounced of the windows outside. I combed my long, light brown hair trying desperately to get rid of the knots and tangles. I stopped and looked at the woman in the mirror in front of me. I had warm brown eyes and long eyelashes. My eyebrows framed them perfectly. I had a small button nose with a few freckles dotted across it. My skin was tanned from the endless days in the sun but it was riddled with scars.

I sighed and turned to the trunk at the end of my bed; I opened it and took out my best dress and shawl. It was the night of the crossroads dance and after a lot of begging from Eachna I finally agreed to go. I was kind of looking forward to going; I knew that once I got there I would have a great time dancing and partying with the other soldiers and their families. All that bothered me was the getting ready part. I spent most of my time in trousers and boots, getting dirty and muddy in trenches. My clothes were always covered in mud and blood so getting clean and wearing dresses wasn't exactly my forte.

I let out another sigh and began to undress. I had stripped down to my underwear when the woman in the mirror caught my eye again. I stood up and faced my reflection. My body was covered in scars some faded and pink, others red and raw and the worst were a horrible and purple. I had countless black and yellow bruises. A lump formed in my throat as I saw how badly my body was damaged. The scars and bruises made me look ugly and I hated myself for it. The Baron had taken his time with the torture. I still had night mares of the knives and screams. I could take the physical pain but it's the mental scars that were the hardest to cope with. The physical damage on the outside was just a constant reminder that the scars would never really heal, that I would never be the same.

Tears streamed freely down my face as the flash backs began. The doctors called it post traumatic stress disorder or something. They said anything could trigger the breakdowns. I collapsed onto the floor as huge sobs rocked my body. I broke into a cold sweat and my hands began to shake. I could hear someone speaking to me but I couldn't see them. I was trapped in a dark dungeon with the knives, all pointed at me getting closer and closer. I curled up, screwed my eyes shut and let out a long scream. Someone's hand grabbed my shoulder, I flinched and my eyes sprang open. There was a woman in front of me with long black hair and piercing blue eyes. I gasped and smacked out at her. "Get away! Get away from me!" I screamed, scrambled onto my feet and put a few feet distance between me and her.

"Jo." The woman said in a loving voice. "China Sorrows" I spat her name, "I swear I will kill you if you take another step" I said in a menacing voice, adapting a shaky fighting stance. "Josephine, I'm not her. It's me, Eachna, your friend. . ." I didn't let her finish. Instead I slapped her powerfully in the face. As I went in for the second blow someone new entered the dungeon and grabbed me. He slammed me against the wall and pinned me there. His jade green eyes locked with mine and he spoke soothingly "Josephine, listen to me. I'm me, Skulduggery. I need you to tell me where you are" I stopped struggling and looked back at him. "D-Dungeon" I gasped between sobs.

"What one? Who is there? Why are you there?" Skulduggery said, firing the questions in quick concession. I stopped crying as my mind began to clear in order to answer. Shadows faded away and slowly my room came into focus. "I – the Baron . . . the knives . . . the scars . . . China –" My thoughts and words jumble together. Slowly, very slowly, I began to put together what was real and what was a nightmare. Skulduggery wasn't pinning me down anymore, he'd gotten the sheet from my bed and wrapped it around my shivering body then pulled me into a hug. "It's okay" Skulduggery whispered softly. "It's all okay now, your back now. She's gone now Jo, China's gone. I promise you I won't ever let them hurt you ever again. I promise"

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**Hope you like it! Please review and I'm sorry for any mistakes :)**


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